


Mosaic Pieces

by ProbablyTrash



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-11-03 17:56:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10972425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProbablyTrash/pseuds/ProbablyTrash
Summary: Draco loses both Astoria and his son Scorpious during his birth and is left shattered. His mother forces him into group therapy that deals with Trauma and loss. He deals with it and is unfazed by most things, numb since his loss, until he finds that he's joined by a familiar face: Harry. Harry loses Ginny in a bad Quidditch accident and now is forced to raise three kids alone and to deal with the loss alone.





	1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

Draco was probably the most uncooperative patient in the group. Every day they would arrange themselves in a circle. There was total about 10-15 patients there. Everyday these 10-15 people would go around by turn and share about how sad and terrible their lives were. And every single day they would get to Draco and he would refuse to share. Today was no different. Execpt for the fact that Fate seemed to have different plans for Draco. 

When Harry walked in, Draco was sitting in his normal seat in the circle, just across from the head therapist, so he could give him any nasty looks that he had coming. Draco looked up, considering Harry was late and they don't very often get new patients. His eyes widened and his eyebrows raised, but he couldn't be too surprised. Everyone had heard about Harry losing Ginny. A nasty Quidditch accident the newspapers had said. A few gasps and murmurs run through the circle of people as Harry sits, head down as he stares at his feet. Draco imagines that this would be a very poor time to be famous.

"Ah, Harry. I was wondering when you'd be joining us." The therapist acknowledges his presence while everyone else stares at him. They barely pay attention as the others reintroduce themselves. They are all going as quickly as they can until it finally gets to Harry. The therapist looks at him expectantly, assuming Harry knows the drill. 

"Do I really have to?" Harry says shaking his head, looking exhausted. "I mean I'm sure everyone already knows." 

"You should still share, because they might know what happened but they don't know your feelings, Harry." The therapist points out. Draco shakes his head a little. Draco and the therapist had gone through the exact same drill when he had first showed up. Draco can't help but scoff. 

"I don't want them to know how I feel. It'll get in the newspaper that way." Harry mutters bitterly.

This causes Draco to actually laugh out loud, causing everyone to look at him, including Harry, who had been so focused on trying to get the attention off of him, that he hadn't even noticed Draco was there. His eyes were wide a if he couldn't imagine why Draco might be there. 

"Draco, do you have something to say?" The therapist questions, his eyes narrowing. "Maybe you're finally ready to share."

Draco laughs again which causes Harry to purse his lips. "I mean Potter here isn't wrong; everything about him ends up in the paper. " Draco states forcing himself to stop laughing. He wasn't even sure why he found it so funny. "But you know what i will share." Draco says smirking and the therapist looks surprised. Draco just stands and puts on a sarcastic and fake smile and acted overly cheery. 

"Hello everybody! I am the infamous Draco Malfoy and I'm here because my wife was so weak and sick that when she push my child out of her that Both her and my son died." He grinned bitterly and plopped back down in his chair as his face falls to the frustration that is usually a sign of his emotions starting overwhelm him. Though to most people it's a sign of his aggression. Harry watching him for much longer than most of the other people there, who try to avert their gaze as soon as they recover from the initial shock of what Draco had said. 

"What's wrong Potter? Cat got your tongue? Or maybe it's you trying to show us all more of that hero-like pity and how much you care about every insignificant piece of scum." Harry has looked away at this point and even seemed to be shrinking away from Draco, but at this point Draco can't stop, he's too angry and he's found a target. Once you shoot an arrow, you can stop it halfway. "Aw c'mon Potter, where's all that Gryffindor confidence? Or maybe you really are just a cowa-" 

"ENOUGH." Draco is cut off by the head therapist. He points Draco to the door. "You can comeback once you understand that berating other patients is not okay." Draco just storms out as watches him go.


	2. Chapter 2: Sympathy

After that first meeting Draco didn't go back for a while. He couldn't quite place why he had been so infuriated, but the more he tried to think about it the angrier he got. Maybe it was because he had lost his temper so easily. There was always something about Harry that made Draco ridiculously frustrated. It's been like that ever since they were kids and seeing Harry so sad so broken... it just got worse. So Draco stayed away he didn't go back until he had to. He planned definitely not to say anything this time, even if Harry said something insufferable. Again, Fate screwed Draco over. 

When he got there Harry was no where to be seen and upon interrogating a couple of the other patients it turns out that Harry hadn't showed up since that first time when Draco told him off. When Draco looked regretful, couple of them sneered, telling them that he got what he deserved and that rumor was that Harry hasn't been able to show his face since then.Draco stormed out before the session could even start. 

For a while he just paced, unsure of what to do. Him and Harry were anything but friends. They didn't hate each other, especially because Draco had grown up a lot since his school years, even if he was still a spoiled brat sometimes. At the same time, they were nowhere near friendship. Yet Draco felt an odd pull, an urge to check on Harry. So Draco paced, trying to figure out what to do with himself. 

Eventually he gives up. He stands up and makes sure he has the correct address for Harry's apartment before leaving the house. He wasn't even sure what he was going to do when he got there, but he made his way there all the same. Unfortunately, due to Harry's whereabouts, Draco had to take the muggle way there: the public bus. It was stuffy and awful and he kept bumping into people while he stood and held onto the poles. He was extremely irritated by the time he got to his stop. He got out of there as fast as he could. 

When he finally made it to the house he noticed the mini-Harry almost immediately and almost yelped in surprise before realizing it was Just the small seven year old James Potter. Draco relaxed and approached him. 

"Hey, Where's your father?" Draco said clearing his throat to get the boy's attention. James looked up quickly from whatever he was messing with in the porch. His eyes widen when he sees Draco. 

"Dragon! You're the Dragon!!" James says getting to his feet as quickly as he could, almost falling back over in the process. Draco frowns at the boy. 

"Dragon? It that what your father calls me?" Draco was already regretting coming here. He hadn't planned on being mocked by a child, but James shakes his head. 

"No, Daddy said that your name means Dragon and it was cool so we call you Dragon!" James beams and Draco realizes that Harry's kids thought he was... Cool? James must have caught Draco's puzzled look, because he grabs Draco's hands and leads him into the house. "Sissy and bubby are sleeping but Dad is awake. I can't bother him though. He's in his room." James points to a hallway and grins, showing a couple missing baby teeth. Draco feels a tug on his chest as he thinks of Scorpius and how he would be losing his first baby teeth around this time too. He shakes the sad thought out of his head before turning and walking towards where James pointed. The second door down was covered in crayon and said in big sloppy handwriting: 'DODDYs ROM'. Draco found himself chuckling, but quickly stopped as he noticed the sounds coming from the room. 

There was a gentle sobbing sound coming from the room. It was barely audible and only someone paying very close attention could hear it. It sounded choked and restrained as Harry held back the sobs, trying not to let the children notice. Something about this changes something in Draco. It's not even a change more like a shift. Like opening curtains to let some light in. He softened and he gently knocked on the door. It's answered by Harry clearing his throat. 

"James? What's up little man?" Harry's voice sounded strained as he tried not to let his voice shake. 

"Harry, we need to talk."


	3. Chapter 3: Confrontation

Harry was speechless when he heard Draco's voice. He stayed silent for a long moment, unsure of how to respond. How could he be sure of anything at this point? His wife had died unexpectedly; he was to therapy, something he never thought he would do; was shamed and terrorized by the bully of his youth; and now the same bully was here now saying they needed to talk. What could there possibly be to talk about? All the same, Harry stood, clearing his throat and wiping his eyes of the residual tears, putting himself together as best as he could. Then, he opened the door. 

Draco was not surprised to see Harry looking like more of a mess than usual. His normally shaggy hair stuck out at every angle, his face red and puffy, his green eyes watery and tired. The man not only looked like he had been crying for hours, but as if he had been sick for a long time. Harry's normally baggy clothes hung off his body more than usual. Grief and long times spent indoors had turned Harry's skin pale. Harry ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stick up even more. 

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry said without the warmth that had been there seconds ago. 

"Why haven't you been going?" Draco demanded with a sigh. 

"Haven't been going where? Work? Ron and Hermione's place? The interviews?" Harry questioned with frustration. "There's a million places I haven't been going, you're going to have to be more specific, Malfoy." Harry was purposefully using Draco's last to annoy Draco. Harry really didn't need to deal with him right now. He was having a hard enough time and he didn't need perfect little Draco rubbing it in his face. This defense almost makes Draco laugh. He had used it so many times before, especially against Harry. It was more obvious to Draco than if Harry had straight up said: 'I'm feeling defenseless and scared'. 

"Listen Harry." Draco starts, hoping the use of Harry's first name will show his good intent, even though he had already used it to no avail. Maybe consistency will help. "I'm not here to harass you, I-" Draco didn't get to finish his sentence because Harry had started laughing bitterly. 

"When have you EVER not harassed me? For a while there I even thought that you might make it your career." Harry continued to laugh and Draco growled. So much for James saying that Harry said nice thing about him. "I'm just surprised I escaped it for so long, but like usual you target me when I'm at my weakest." Now Harry's voice begins to crack, unable to contain all of Harry's emotions. Draco is surprised as he watches tears begin to gather in those intense, murky, swamp colored eyes. 

"Just listen." Draco tried his best not to snap, but stayed stern with him. "The other day in group, it was a mistake. I hadn't meant to go off. I just..." Draco didn't even know where to begin. He still wasn't sure why he had gone off at all. "I just was angry and needed to direct it somewhere and I'm sorry it was you." The apology comes out before he could stop it and Harry looked like he had seen a ghost. Since when did Draco apologize to anyone, let alone Harry? All the same, after Draco said it, he definitely didn't regret it. It was like part of a small weight had lifted off his chest. Maybe that was why he had been so compelled to come here, to finally apologize.

Except now he didn't know what to do now that he had apologized to him. Harry certainly didn't know what to say. They just stood there face to face, stunned both at themselves and each other. Harry shifted his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortable, waiting for Draco to say something else, but it was pointless: Draco was waiting for a response from Harry. They must have stood the for ages, it surely felt like it. 

Harry was the one to break the silence. 

"I'm sorry too." He says sighing. "It's just been stressful and I didn't know what you were going to say." Draco shrugs and glances down at his feet before looking back at Harry. 

"Understandable." He mumbles, not sure of why he was still there. Maybe it was the fact that, even though this apology has lightened the load on Draco's chest, it was still there. Maybe standing here longer will cause it to fade and leave him. Probably not, the heavy weight had been there ever since they were children. 

"Are the kids still sleeping?" Harry asks, changing the subject and moving past Draco into the hallway, glancing around. 

"The oldest is up. James, right?" Draco states, not saying the boy's name with certainty because it might show that he knew more than he was willing to admit. 

"Yeah James." Harry moves into the kitchen to find James nose deep in one of the many kid's books littered around the house. Harry smiles a little before moving back into the hallway. "Listen I have to make dinner for them soon." Harry paused for just a moment and then with out thinking he added an invitation: "You can stay for dinner if you want." With out another word he moved past Draco and through the small living room straight to the kitchen where he began to prepare a meal for the kids. 

Draco decides to stay, not really having anywhere to go anyways.


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner

Harry ends up burning whatever he had been attempting to cook. His skills with potions accurately reflected his skill with cooking of any sort. Draco came in when the smell of burning food reached him to see what was happening. Harry tried to tell him to go while he dumped the burnt food but Draco refused.

"I can cook if you need me to." Draco says a small smirk, finding himself amused at Harry's struggle. 

"No it's fine. I'll just order some food." He says slipping past Draco for the millionth time. The whole time he had been cooking Draco kept trying to talk to Harry, checking up on the food, trying to give pointers and tips and every time it ended with Harry slipping past him to do something else. It was like he was avoiding Draco at all costs. It was only mildly irritating. It was mostly amusing. Maybe that's why Draco kept bugging him. 

Harry moved into the living room and picked up some sort of muggle device. Draco sighed hopelessly. He knew he probably should get caught up on all this garbage, more and more wizards were starting to use muggle technology, but Draco still had a grudge against it due to the way he was raised. He got especially confused when Draco began to talk into the box, giving it all sorts of weird commands, (One large...Pizza? With something called Pepperoni). His nose wrinkled at the very thought of whatever Harry was having brought to the house. James on the other hand, seemed thrilled. When Harry got off the phone, Draco looked at him accusingly.

"What in the bloody world is pizza?" The word coming out of Draco's sounded unnatural and strange. It was weird having the idea of Draco being combined in the same world as the idea of pizza. It was weird, but it also caused Harry to laugh, something he hadn't done in a while.

"You'll see." Is all Harry would say, amusement and mischief blooming on Harry's face as he watched Draco's eyebrows furrow. Harry lets out a small laugh and plops on the couch, forgetting just for a moment how much pain he was in. 

They waited about a half an hour for the pizza to arrive an it was one of the most cheerful times either of the two men had had in a long time. Sure, they threw jabs and insults at each other any chance they could, but there was something lighter about it. There was no venom in it anymore, they were all bark and no bite. They did it because it was habitual, especially for Draco. 

At one point Harry stood up and stretched, he walked over to where Draco was sitting and sat next to him, (they had previously been sitting as far from each other as they could get: Harry on his recliner and Draco on the far end of the couch). Draco couldn't help but look at him with a sneer. 

"Getting a little friendly aren't we, Harry?" He frowned at Harry, glaring at the man for closing the space between them. Harry just looked at him and out of no where, for no reason that was obvious to either of them, Harry burst out laughing. Draco couldn't help but join in; it was intoxicating. Harry's whole being was intoxicating. Or maybe just toxic. Draco wasn't sure. Maybe that's why he was laughing so damn hard. Harry was scrambling his brain and causing him to go crazy. That had to be it because why else would Draco ever smile at Harry and laugh with him and all of a sudden not mind the lack of space between them. 

Around that time the doorbell rang and Harry stood up and ran a hand through his mop of chestnut brown hair before answering the door. Draco watched puzzled as Harry pulled out a certain amount of money and made small talk with the man carrying the large flat box. Eventually they said their farewells and the stranger handed Harry the box before walking away. Harry came in and set it on the small table that was in the back of the living room. 

"James," Harry calls to the boy who had migrated to his room, "go wake up your siblings and bring Lily to me." James let out an audible sigh before exiting his room and first entering Albus' room and then Lily's. James comes back with a small red-headed girl that looked nothing like Harry in his arms. He hands her to Harry, who holds her on his hip, before little five year old Albus comes out of his room. Draco realized the reality of the struggle in Harry's life as he sits there and watches Harry as he settles the two boys at the table and Lily in her high chair. Here was a man who had just lost his wife with nothing but three children and dusty Quidditch trophies to remind him. Draco felt pathetic. He had lost his wife almost six years ago and he was still all twisted in knots about it, but here was Harry, making due and forcing himself to get better for the sake of these children. Draco looks away, lost in thought only being jerked back to the present when Harry put a hand on his shoulder. He had a plate in his hand with a weird triangular slice of something extremely greasy on it. 

"Ugh, what is that even?" Draco's nose wrinkles in disgust, but he takes the plate oddly interested in the substance even though it looked revolting. 

"This, Malfoy, is pizza." He says grinning like a child. 

"It looks greasy." 

"It is. That's the great part." 

Draco couldn't imagine that anything this gross and greasy looking could ever be appetizing in any way, but he was still going to try it anyways. No way he was going to be shown up by Harry. If harry was going to show tolerance for grease, so would he. Draco took a reluctant bite off the point of the triangle and was amazed. His eyes widened and he stared at the pizza slight with mixed horror and amazement. Then he started to eat again. He didn't say a word until he had eaten at least three pieces of pizza. Harry watched him with amusement. 

"Good isn't it? The grease is what makes it good." Harry says, finishing his own meal. 

"Shut up Harry." Draco says taking his plate and, he was surprised to find, Harry's as well. The kids soon finished, their plates joining Harry and Draco's in the sink. By this time it was later than either of them had realized. Harry got up and put the children to bed. They complained the whole way. 

"But dad, we just got up!" James said as he was shooed towards his room. 

"Maybe you shouldn't have napped all day. You guys can sit in your rooms quietly and maybe I won't notice you're still awake." Harry winks a little as he finishes shooing James and Albus into their rooms and tucking Lily into her small bed. When he's finished he walks into the living room and sighs. "Children are exhausting." 

Harry plops down despite the fact that Draco was standing awkwardly, unsure of whether he should be leaving or staying after dinner. He glances at the clock on the wall before looking at Harry again. "How late does the.. uh.. bus run?" 

Harry looks at Draco, raising a single eyebrow at him. "Not this late. I'm surprised you got one as late as you did. I thought you planned on staying somewhere nearby or something." Harry says confused. Draco shakes his head and Harry sighs. He stands up and moves towards the hall, but turns around before entering. "The house doesn't have a guest bedroom, but I'll clean up a little and then you can just stay in my room. I'll sleep on the couch, alright?" Draco just stood there, taken aback. 

"Sure I guess, but you're not sleeping on the couch...."


	5. Chapter 5: That Night

Harry knew he should be sleeping. 

Harry should have honestly been asleep hours ago. He could hear the soft snoring of the children in the rooms across from him. If he thought really hard and if he made himself believe it, he could hear Draco snoring on the couch in the living room. The same couch that him and Ginny had bought when they moved into the house. He had hated the color of that bloody couch, but Ginny had loved it and he loved Ginny, so they had bought it. 

He wondered if Draco realized the significance of what he was doing, even if he was just sleeping on the couch in a house where he had no place. He was sleeping on a couch that held every fiber of Ginny's personality in it using the pillow that Ginny used to sleep on every night and the blanket that she had refused to let even Harry use. Yet Harry had given them all to Draco. What did that say about him? He must be terrible to throw the memories of his late wife into the arms of someone who, up until recently, had made it very clear how much he hated Harry. 

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, stopping himself from crying. He knew for sure that it would wake Draco up and he wasn't about to get caught crying again by him. He was his (ex?) arch nemesis, why would he care? Merlin, he didn't really didn't know anything about Draco, did he? He had always just assumed he was a terrible person, with all the bullying and pushing around he did during their Hogwarts years. He had housed the Dark Lord for Pete's sake! But in the end when it had mattered most, Draco had chosen his side, shattering his every opinion of him. 

Harry thought about Astoria, Draco's wife, all of a sudden. He wondered if she had immediately knew that he was good. If she had looked at him and instead of thinking, 'there's a bad man', she had thought, 'there's a man who's misunderstood and lonely'. If she had then moved to get to know him, no matter how much resistance he had shown, she still wanted to know him. 

He wondered if he still had the chance to know Draco. 

Like really know Draco. Like know him so well that it didn't matter all the terrible things they had done to each other. To reach a point where nothing mattered but what they were right then, that would be something that Harry would like to see. Harry felt himself laugh out loud. It was a pathetic, tired sort of laugh. The kind that slowly turned into a choked sob. That's exactly what it did. He let out choked sobs that made him sound like he was choking to death. 

All of Harry's life it hadn't mattered who he was at that moment, it was always what he had done, what he was going to do. He survived an attack from Voldemort. It had't mattered that he had only been a baby, he had done it and that's all that mattered. Now, he didn't find himself doing much. It's like the world had come to a stop when Ginny had died. Now he was failing everyone. How pathetic was that, after everything, after saving the bloody world from the most powerful Dark wizard ever, now he was failing. Harry began to sob harder and not until the bedroom door opened did he realize something: 

Draco hadn't been sleeping. 

Draco crossed into Harry's messy room and closed the door behind him. Without a word Draco moved towards him and Harry backed against the wall, he didn't want Draco to see him, to see how pathetic he was, but Draco seemed he could care less about how much of a mess Harry was. Draco sat at the edge of the bed and as the moonlight caught his face, the tears that lingered there became obvious and Harry is stunned as Draco moves over to pull him into a hug, not only for Harry, but for himself as well. 

And Harry just let him. 

They say there together and cried for a long time. 

And then as quickly as it started it ended. They both calmed down and Draco cleared his throat and got up. He moved towards the door, opening it he paused for a moment and looked back, those stunning blue eyes of his looking like the sea after a storm. 

"Thank you, Harry." And then he was gone and Harry was alone with his thoughts. He laid back down in bed and found his mind at rest. He closed his eyes and felt himself drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a shorter Chapter, the next one will be longer.


	6. Chapter 6: The Next Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was so long coming I've been super busy, will try to update regularly again!
> 
> Also I really should have named this chapter "They think a lot." Lol

The next morning was very awkward one.

Harry was the first one up, the kids having gotten him up so he could make them breakfast. He was currently Watching over the kids as they ate their breakfast, James and Albus their favorite cereals and Lily with her applesauce. Harry was sipping at his coffee, a little sugar no cream, and was waiting for Draco to wake up. Harry could see the other man from where he stood in the kitchen. Draco seemed so peaceful sleeping on the couch.

He woke up soon enough, because children, especially young children, are never quiet for long. The disruption was caused by Lily spilling her applesauce all down the front of her shirt which caused her to begin to cry even if Harry had began to react instantly. He lifted her out of her chair, as Draco sat up, unnoticed. He was confused for just a moment, trying to figure out where he was, but as he spotted the messy haired owner of the house, he connected the dots. 

It took him only a moment longer to remember the previous night. Draco was always foggy minded in the mornings, so the facts came to him a little slow, but once he remembered, he couldn't stop thinking about the previous night. He remembered is clearer the more he thought about it. The dreams about Astoria that kept him up late, the feeling of dread as he realized it was going to be one of those night. The nights where he did nothing but toss and turn all night until the sun came up. 

He remembered realizing it didn't have to be like that. 

When the realization came so did uncertainty and fear. This was his enemy, his nemesis for crying out loud and yet Draco had been seriously crawling into his bed and telling him about the terrible images that haunted him. About how every time he closed his eyes he couldn't stop seeing his dead wife and his child, who had never had the chance to breathe fresh air. The thought of sharing this deep secret was ridiculous, but all the same he couldn't help himself. There was already an unspoken moment of peace between it, why not find out how far it goes? It could be useful and there was one thing Draco was good at it was using things to his advantage. 

He remembered approaching the door, his mind all made up. He remembered the soft sobs, matching those he had heard just that afternoon. He remembered them causing him to hesitate, not because he was going to change his mind, but because he realized they were the same. With that, his resolve hardened and he opened the door. 

His breath had caught in his throat. He remembered that clearly. He remembered that moment clearer than anything else; Harry with his knees tucked to his chest, him back again his pillows at the head of that big bed; Harry, his green eyes shining, both from the constellation like tears that had been streaming down his face, but also from the radiant moonlight that shone through the two windows in the room. 

The incredible urge to comfort this poor, pitiful man had been overwhelming. It caught him off guard and completely went against everything, but Draco couldn't resist. He had climbed into the bed and taken that poor man into his arms but when he had went to speak comforting words, he surprised himself again. He had begun to cry. So they had sat there and cried together over everything. Over the loss of their wives, over the loss of their childhoods, over the loss of the possible friendship that could have bloomed so much sooner between them. They had sobbed until they had reached a peace. Both together and with their losses. 

Then Draco stood up and moved to the door. there he had paused for a moment. He had wanted, needed to say something to Harry, but he didn't know what was appropriate. This whole time, however long it had been, they hadn't said a word to each other, no words had been needed. In that moment they had been needed though, so Draco had said the one thing he had really been sure of at that moment. He turned around and met though intense and beautiful moss colored eyes of Harry's. He had stood there for a moment and taken in the tragic beauty of Harry before saying three words that changed everything. 

"Thank you, Harry." 

Draco was ripped from his thoughts as someone said his name. 

"Earth to Draco? Are you awake or are you just sleeping with your eyes closed." Harry waved a hand in front of Draco's face and Draco narrowed his eyes looking up at the other man. 

"I am very much awake. I was just... Thinking." Draco said looking away to see James and Albus sitting in front of the television watching cartoons. He noticed how Harry was carrying Lily on his hip. He noticed the kinder look in Harry's face after the previous night. Most of all he noticed what Harry had called him. Draco. Even though Draco had been using Harry's first name as often as possible to show friendliness and possible gain a little trust, but Harry still called him by his last name. He hadn't known whether it was because he didn't want to show closeness to Draco or if it was just a habit from any other time the had spoken before these past few days. Now that the spell was broken it was... oddly unnerving. Not unnerving in a bad way, but in a way that makes him want to hear him say it again. So he sits in silence waiting for Harry to try and catch his attention again. 

"Sure, Draco, you're totally awake." Harry rolled his eyes and let out a small laugh. "There's cereal in the kitchen, a couple different fruits, or I could make up some toast for you." 

Draco bites the inside of his mouth to stop himself from grinning. Harry was so predictable sometimes it made him laugh. "I can get something to eat myself, I'm not three." He says joking around, because he knew Harry must be so used to catering to the children that sometimes he must forget that adults can do things for themselves. Or maybe it was just the hero in him. The thought draws out a bit of the old bitterness in him. He had always loathed that part of Harry. How dare he sacrifice everything to help others all the time? It made the rest of them look bad. It made the rest of them look weak and Draco had always hated feeling weak. 

Draco clears his throat and stands. "Actually I don't think breakfast will be necessary. I'll probably just freshen up a bit and then be on my way. I should be getting home." Was that disappointment on Harry's face or was he just project what he hoped Harry was expressing? Either way he couldn't stay and Harry recognized this, but caught Draco off guard as he did so. The shorter man had pulled Draco into a hug. After the initial shock of it, Draco hugged back. Then it was over and with only brief good-byes, Draco left.


	7. Chapter 7: Work Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written on my phone so sorry for any mistakes.

At first it was weird. They had shared so many different emotions in that short amount of time that it couldn't be anything but weird. With Harry's position in the ministry as head Aurour and Draco's new position as the head of the potions department, they found themselves working together more than they had expected. And at first, along with the weirdness of it, they loathed every collaboration between them. This wasn't because of any real loathing between them, but because of the images they had to keep up. If they suddenly started working together perfectly then people would notice, people would talk, and if there was one thing that the both of them wanted to avoid it was people talking.

However, with each meeting, they found this image harder and harder to keep up. Harry found himself laughing at Draco's jokes, instead of mocking the lameness of them. Draco caught himself, helping Harry fix a mistake with a potion instead of holding the failure over his head. It got progressively worse too, it moved from little gestures to big subconscious ones. Harry putting a hand on Draco's back as he greeted him, the smiles they exchanged in the hallways, and numerous other things. With the little gestures came the rumors and the questions, but they weren't as upset by them as they expected. It was quite the opposite actually. The rumors gave them something to laugh about, to make jokes and actually enjoy themselves. 

Ron and Hermione were extremely surprised by the change in their behavior. Harry could still hear Ron asking him over and over if Draco had him under some sort of charm and Hermione telling him to be careful and not to be too vulnerable. As if either of them were that close at this point. It was mostly jokes and laughter. Harry couldn't help but wonder if was something more than that. Draco and him seemed to have so much in common and Harry is realizing that more and more these days. Even as kids, it was like you made clones and put them on opposite sides in the war. It wasn't entirely fair to say that. Draco had chosen to fight against Voldemort in the end. That had to show for something. 

So Harry's faith in the goodness in Draco grew more and more everyday. He tried to find different ways to put himself into situations where he and Draco would have to work together. He came up with excuse after excuse but eventually he ran out. That was until Hermione approached him on the way to his office one day. 

"Harry!!" She called out to him. "C'mere a sec."

Harry turned and walked towards her, curious what the resourceful and talented aurour needed with him. Even though they were close friends they were both often to busy to spend much time together.

"What's up, Hermione?" Harry smiled at his friend.

"Me and Ron are finally going to have time off this weekend; we were wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner?" she explained, smiling back at Harry. 

"You mean you finally have some time off?" he jokes. Hermione was known for overworking herself. Her end goal was to become minister for magic and she was actually quite close off she kept up the hard work.

Hermione laughs as well. "Just answer the question Harry!" 

The idea came to him all off a sudden in that moment. 

"Can I bring..." he pauses for a moment. "A friend?" he says cautiously. It'd be a good way to introduce Draco into their group with out to much chaos. He worries about Ron though. Hermione's probably more thoughtful and willing to give the man a chance, but Ron... He had that awful temper and he doesn't really think before he acts. Better not to let Ron know until Draco was there. 

"Who's this friend?" Hermione raises an eyebrow at Harry curiously. Of course she had to ask. Harry really didn't think he would get away with not telling her, he just hoped he would. 

"Draco..." he mumbles with a sigh. He could see Hermione cringe. Harry knew what was coming next. She would explain to him how risky that was and how he really should reconsider.

That's not at all what happened.

Hermione let a big sigh and shook her head at him, but she looked up in defeat. "Yeah I suppose thats alright." she sighs again. "Though I suppose I'll regret that decision." she laughs halfheartedly, but smiles sincerely when she sees the grin that breaks across Harry's face. She hadn't seen Harry this happy in a while and if this is what it took to see him like that, then she'll be damned if she lets anything it. 

"Thank you so much Hermione!!" Harry is grinning from ear to ear. "I'll let him know now." 

Hermione was the first to realize what was blooming between the two men, even before they did.


	8. Chapter 8: Double Dinner Date

Of course it wasn't a date.

Draco didn't even know why the thought came to his mind. Maybe it was because Ron and Hermione were dating and that just left him and Harry to be third wheels together. 

Maybe it was because he was in more need of something like that than he thought. 

After a certain point he thought it'd be obvious, of course it would be, he had to get over Astoria at some point. However, that point never became obvious to Draco. He continued with life and he continued to grieve his late wife and stillborn son. The time to move on never came to him... Until now. 

This new friendship with Harry ignited a craving in him that was nearly eating him alive. It felt like he had been starving but hadn't noticed until it became an unbearable pain, until it became all he thought about, until Harry became all he thought about. 

Something else was stirring in Draco's chest as he sat in Ron and Hermione's flat. He watched the golden trio goof off and hang out and felt an intense bitterness in his chest. It was just like school all over again. He wasn't noticed by this perfect trio unless he was causing trouble. He was invisible to them unless he was the villain. His mind raced, all of it frustrated and angry. He felt the pressure build up and when someone placed their hand on his shoulder he looked up, ready to explode, but all the steam dissipated. 

Because there was Harry with those concern filled, mossy green eyes. With that gentle expression that screams empathy. There was was Harry trying to save another person no matter how pointless or insignificant it was. There was Harry purely being Harry. The steam dissipated simply because Harry was there. 

"Are you alright, Draco?" For a moment Draco couldn't answer, he was speechless and in awe. Then his head dropped as he felt his eyes water for no good reason. 

"Just fine, Harry." Draco cleared his throat as Harry sat down beside him. "Where's Ron and Hermione?" Draco asks, noticing their sudden disappearance. 

"They're cleaning up the kitchen." Harry smiled at Draco and Draco felt himself needing to look away. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Draco scoffed. Harry was always so eager to please. When was Harry going to learn that he couldn't please everyone and that trying to do so was useless. Draco rolled his eyes and Harry took Draco's dismissiveness the wrong way.

"What? What's wrong?" Harry looked genuinely concerned. "Are you not having a good time?" Draco laughed a little before explaining himself.

"That's not it, you're just kinda pathetic, always trying to please everyone." Draco said it before his filters could tell him he was being mean. Draco felt regret well up as he saw Harry flinch and harden his expression. "Shit, Harry, I didn't mean that." Harry just shrugged it off, already have taken it to heart. Draco takes this moment to voice an idea that will hopefully cheer Draco up. 

"Harry would you like to do this again?" Draco proposes. "But with just me and you. Like.... I dunno..."

"Like a date?" 

Draco nearly choked on the air. "Excuse me?" he coughs, actually flustered for once in his damned life. 

Harry just laughed. "It was a joke, Draco." Harry seemed to loosen up again and Draco be damned if he didn't see a slight blush on Harry's face as well as his own. "But yeah that sounds great Draco." Harry smiled at Draco and Draco felt the ice in his mind and heart melt a little.


	9. Chapter 9: Dinner Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry last chapter was so awkward and short. This second part is going to clear somethings up and end it better. Writer's block apparently kicks my butt a little too hard sometimes. I also think I published that chapter really late at night anyways.

Not that it meant anything. 

Draco's heart might have lost a little of its ice and Harry might have agreed to a second dinner, one between just the two of them, but they were two co-workers who just so happened to get along better than expected. Harry knew it and Draco knew it and no matter how much teasing they heard from anyone, nothing could change it in their eyes. 

Or maybe they were just too blind. 

As Draco and Harry laughed about the dumb date they had both just agreed to, Hermione and Ron watched from the kitchen with curiosity and surprise, they had never thought that they would ever see anything like this: two unlikely allies sitting next to each other smiling and laughing, the sunlight filtering in through the window reflecting the growing warmth between the two. They exchanged looks and the knowledge spread from one to two. They nodded to each other and slipped in to join them. 

Ron plopped down on the couch next to Harry a grin on his face. "What are you two laughing about?" He asked feigning ignorance. Ron raised an inquisitive eyebrow when Harry and Draco hesitate to answer, but Harry recovered quickly and turned to smirk at Draco. 

"Draco asked me on a date." He teased, saving himself from Ron's teasing, but dooming Draco. 

"Not a date! Just to dinner, don't lie to them!" Draco exclaimed defensively, despite the obvious embarrassed flush that came to his face. 

"I dunno, Draco. That sounds like a date to me." Hermione pipes up. Draco just shoots a glare at Harry before, giving up on defending himself. 

"Call it whatever you will, but do not be mistaken about my feelings." He says before crossing his arms stubbornly, causing the others to laugh more. Draco was such a sight amongst the other three. He was so much more reserved and almost arrogant than the other three could possibly be. 

And the night goes on. Just like the rest of the world does. This upcoming dinner becomes a running joke between the friends and they all make sure to mention it throughout the night. Even the humorless Draco takes part in it as if it's some sort of competition, who can mention it the most before they have to go home. If anyone kept track they would notice that Draco actually did win. He took every chance he could to mention it to fit in and so it could never fluster him again. He was also just extremely good at making anything into a joke and using it against people. One tends to gain that as a quality after spending the majority of their childhood bullying other kids. Its odd when a quality turns from a weapon to a game. Something that was once used to wound others now helped him bond with his old school enemies. 

It was about 10pm before any of them thought about going home. Harry thought of it first when he caught himself yawning and closing his eyes. He felt himself drifting off faster and faster the longer he sat on the couch talking. Draco was next when he continuously caught himself zoning out and staring at Harry, which he took as a sign of exhaustion. Ron finalized the idea as his snore broke out in the middle of conversation as he sat leaned back on the couch. Hermione stood laughing, shaking her head at Ron. 

"Alright, it's probably about time that you guys flooed out of here." SHe spoke quietly, sure not to wake her sleeping husband.

"Of course, 'Mione. Thank you for having us over." Harry said, moving to give her a hug. 

"Of course, Harry. Thank you for bringing your boyfriend." Hermione teased and it was Harry's turn to have the breathe catch in his throat in surprise. 

"Hermione!" He shouts as she cackles. Draco was just rolling his eyes and shaking his head, trying to hide the color on his pale face. 

"Thank you for letting me come, Hermione." Draco thanks her, but does not move in for a hug. 

"Anytime, Draco." She smiles at him. 

And the night ends with goodbyes and promises of many meet-ups just like this one. 

And the promise of a date.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to comment and give me any tips!! This is my first Harry Potter fic, so I hope I write the characters well.


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